Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion is a dwarf and member of House Lannister of Casterly Rock, one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the fictional continent of Westeros. In the story, Tyrion uses his status as a Lannister to mitigate the prejudice he has received all of his life, even from his own family, especially his father and sister. Knowing that no one will ever take him seriously, he soothes his inadequacies with wine, wit and self-indulgence. As the peaceful rule of King Robert Baratheon begins to decay, Tyrion sees how ill-equipped his family are at holding everything together. He first saves his own neck from the vengeful Catelyn Stark and her sister Lysa Arryn, and then is sent by his father Tywin to impose order on the capital of King's Landing, as well as his nephew Joffrey, the new king, as civil war begins. Tyrion struggles to strengthen and protect the city and family who hate him and refuse to see the peril they are in; when his father returns, Tyrion becomes vulnerable to the wrath and machinations of the self-serving courtiers who surround Joffrey, including Tyrion's own scheming sister Cersei. Tyrion escapes death again but at great cost and in fleeing Westeros finds himself in even more danger and without his usual Lannister resources. History A Game of Thrones In A Game of Thrones (1996), Tyrion visits the Starkstronghold of Winterfell with King Robert Baratheon's entourage. While there, Tyrion tries to befriend Ned Stark's bastard son Jon Snow, and provides Ned's recently crippled son Bran with a saddle design to help him ride a horse. On the road home, Tyrion is taken prisoner by Ned's wife Catelyn, who believes he ordered the attempted murder of Bran. Taken to Catelyn's sister Lysa Arrynat the Eyrie, Tyrion demands a trial by combat and is championed by the mercenary Bronn, who wins his freedom. Using his wit and the promise of a reward, Tyrion wins over the hill tribes of the Vale while on his way to the Lannister army camp. Finally impressed with Tyrion's political instincts, his father Tywin appoints Tyrion acting Hand of the King in an attempt to control Joffrey. While at the camp, Tyrion beds a prostitute named Shae and takes her with him to the capital.11 A Clash of Kings Tyrion arrives at King's Landing in A Clash of Kings(1998) and immediately recognizes the chaos created by Joffrey and Cersei. Seeking to consolidate power and preserve order in the capital, Tyrion methodically removes Cersei's supporters from positions of power. Disgusted by Joffrey's behavior and Cersei's failure to control him, Tyrion openly opposes the young king and tries to keep royal captive Sansa Stark out of harm's way. Tyrion masterminds the defense of King's Landing against Stannis Baratheon, even leading a sortie that drives Stannis from the gates. Afterwards, Tyrion is attacked and is grievously injured by one of the Kingsguard on orders to kill him. Tyrion suspects Joffrey or Cersei, but is unable to get revenge on either.33 A Storm of Swords Upon his recovery in A Storm of Swords (2000), Tyrion finds that he has lost most of his nose, and a returned Tywin has assumed the position of Hand himself. Tyrion is appointed Master of Coin, the treasurer, as a reward for his successful leadership. After learning of a Tyrell plot to claim Winterfell through marriage to Sansa, Tywin forces Tyrion to marry her instead. Sympathetic to Sansa's situation, Tyrion leaves their marriage unconsummated, despite his father's orders to conceive a child with her as soon as possible. At the celebration of his wedding to Margaery Tyrell, Joffrey is poisoned. Cersei promptly accuses Tyrion, who is arrested. His previous good deeds forgotten, Tyrion is put on trial as Cersei manipulates the proceedings to ensure a guilty verdict. He is heartbroken to find that even Shae has turned against him. In his grief, Tyrion demands a trial by combat, to which Cersei responds by naming the virtually unbeatable Gregor Clegane as her champion. Oberyn Martell agrees to fight for Tyrion but dies in the attempt. Pronounced guilty, Tyrion is taken to the dungeon to await his execution. Jaime frees him with the help of Varys, eventually confessing his complicity in Tywin's ruin of Tyrion's first wife Tysha. Furious, Tyrion swears revenge on his family for a lifetime of cruelty and lies to Jaime that he did murder Joffrey. Before escaping the palace, Tyrion goes to confront his father, and finds Shae in Tywin's bed. After strangling her in a rage, Tyrion murders Tywin as well with a crossbowwhen he speaks ill of Tysha, and flees Westeros in a ship organized by Varys.34 A Dance with Dragons In A Dance with Dragons (2011), Tyrion travels to Pentos, where he finds himself under the protection of wealthy Magister Illyrio Mopatis. There he learns that Varys and Illyrio have secretly plotted to return the Targaryens to power since the murder of the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen. On Illyrio's advice, Tyrion decides to seek out and join Aerys' surviving daughter Daenerys at Meereen and help her reclaim the Iron Throne. He eventually realizes that two of his traveling companions are not what they seem. One is Jon Connington, disgraced former Hand of the King; the other claims to be Aegon VI Targaryen, Aerys' grandson, whom Varys had spirited away and replaced with another baby that was then killed during the Lannisters' sack of King's Landing. While stopping at a trading town to rest on their way to Volantis, Tyrion visits a brothel and is recognized and captured by Jorah Mormont who believes that delivering a Lannister to Daenerys will return Jorah to her good graces. Before they can reach Meereen, they are captured by the slavers currently besieging the city. When a plague strikes the slavers' siege camps, Tyrion engineers their escape by joining a mercenary company, the Second Sons. In exchange for membership, Tyrion promises the company the wealth of the Lannister ancestral seat of Casterly Rock, his birthright since Tywin is dead and Jaime has renounced it. Tyrion quickly realizes the slavers are on the losing side, and attempts to convince the Second Sons to change their allegiance.35